Role of B and T lymphocytes in the specific immunosuppression induced by a protein released by a protein monocytes infected with African swine fever virus

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 1991

Authors

RIBEIRO, AD (Author) Other; ARALACHAVES, MP (Author) Other; VILANOVA, M (Author) ICBAS; PORTO, MT (Author) Other; COUTINHO, A (Author) Other

Journal

Title: International Immunology

Vol. 3 No. 2

Pages: 165-174

ISSN: 0953-8178

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 15 Citations

Scopus - 15 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Basic medicine

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00H-Q66

DOI: 10.1093/intimm/3.2.165

Abstract (EN): Some immunobiological aspects of host responses to an immunosuppressive protein (p36) released by porcine monocytes upon infection with African swine fever virus were analysed in a murine system. Treatment of normal, adult C57BL/6 mice with p36 (i) significantly delayed allogenic skin graft rejection; (ii) suppressed the specific plaque-forming cell response to immunization with heterologous erythrocytes; but (iii) induced marked increases in the numbers of 'background' splenic lg-secreting plaque-forming cells. Cytofluorometric analysis of spleen cells revealed that a considerable fraction of all B cells, as well as CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes, undergo blast transformation after p36 treatment. The immunosuppressive effects do not seem to result from 'antigenic competition', for they cannot be induced by even higher doses of pig albumin or by culture products of non-infected pig monocytes. Suppression of specific antibody responses and stimulation of 'background' plaque-forming cells are both T cell-dependent, since they are markedly reduced in thymectomized mice and in animals treated with anti-CD4 or anti-CD8 antibodies. This suggests the relationship between non-specific stimulation and specific suppression of 'unrelated' immune responses and reinforces the notion that viral-associated immunosuppression may be due to overstimulation. The present murine experimental model may prove valuable in the study of immunosuppression associated with infection, even for microorganisms which do not infect mice.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 10